Supporting Businesses

A 4-S Success Story

Sweet Tomatoes is a pizza parlor in Needham, Massachusetts. It had two single-stall restrooms with signage restricting each one's use to one of two genders. We spoke with the manager about the benefits of creating more inclusive environments in a restaurant. We provided two new signs at no charge to the business, and now Sweet Tomatoes is a more inclusive restaurant!

Before: Restrooms with W and M icons

After: Inclusive and ADA Compliant Signage

The Case for Sane Signage

Imagine eating at a small restaurant and excusing yourself to use the restroom. There are two single-occupancy restrooms, one marked Men, one marked Women. The restroom matching your gender is in use, and the occupant shows no sign of finishing soon. Meanwhile the restroom not matching your gender is vacant.

Imagine having a social anxiety disorder which makes sharing restrooms in public challenging. You approach a pair of doors, one marked Men, one marked Women. You feel your tension rise as you prepare to enter the restroom unsure whether there will be a stranger inside. You open the door to find that the restroom is single-occupancy.

Imagine being non-binary and being unsure if you should use the restroom that matches the sex you were assigned at birth or the gender you most identify with, not knowing whether you will be safe when you go inside. You make your choice and brace yourself, pushing open the door only to find that the bathroom is single-use.